ISLAMABAD: The ruling party’s member of the National Assembly has moved a motion to declare the seat vacant due to the prolonged absence of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Information Secretary and Member of the National Assembly Sheikh Waqas Akram without leave.

When the National Assembly session began, Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, citing Section 44 of the Rules and Regulations of the National Assembly, presented the matter of opposition member Sheikh Waqas Akram’s absence from the House for 40 days.

The Speaker of the National Assembly said that Sheikh Waqas Akram has been absent from the House for more than 40 days without leave and if a member of the National Assembly is absent for 40 days without leave, the Speaker brings it to the notice of the House and can declare the seat of such a member vacant under Article 64.

Pakistan Muslim League (N) member Nosheen Iftikhar moved a motion to declare Sheikh Waqas Akram’s seat vacant under sub-clause 2 of Article 64 for his absence from the House without notice, to which Deputy Speaker Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah said that it would be looked into as per the rules.

Federal Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar said that under what political expediency were the assemblies dissolved in 2022, politicians were not punished for the first time, we will have to sit in a closed room for discussions and this is how judges are appointed all over the world.